Enterprise software systems are typically sophisticated, large-scale systems that support many, e.g., hundreds or thousands, of concurrent users. Examples of enterprise software systems include financial planning systems, budget planning systems, order management systems, inventory management systems, sales force management systems, business intelligence tools, enterprise reporting tools, project and resource management systems, and other enterprise software systems.
Compiled programming languages such as COBOL are ubiquitous in enterprise software systems. Data safety is the upmost importance to financial institutions. Early detection of malicious intent could enable such an institution to take action and intercept further attacks on data integrity. Late detection could cost financial companies and their customers millions of dollars.
Unfortunately, programs written in compiled programming languages like COBOL can contain well-concealed malicious code compiled into the executable. Previously compiled programs written in compiled programming languages may also be maliciously modified to achieve certain effects unknown to the user. Malicious code is usually intended to either collect data or corrupt data. Typically, the author of such code would want their modified program to execute normally for some period of time before periodically performing an extraneous, malicious action (such as copying data in clear text to another area of memory or altering some data).